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Sign up for the next celestial navigation class now. Space is limited and will go fast. Learn how to fix your position using sightings of the sun, moon, planets and stars. When all the batteries die and the satellites malfunction, will you be prepared?

The class is taught in four sessions and will teach you everything you’ll need to know. The class is open to members and non-members.

January 5th the winter night was brightened by wonderful performances by Grzegorz Tyszkiewicz and Natalia Kawalec. Songs varied from popular tunes to tales from the sea to English and Polish folk tunes. The singers alternated easily between English and Polish in a delightful bilingual concert.

Janusz Klupiec introduces singer Grzegorz Tyszkiewicz

Many of the songs were popular standards and the audience joined in to sing the choruses. In several songs the singers provided the words to the audience so they could join in.

Grzegorz Tyszkiewicz sang for over two hours alternating between English and Polish.

Everyone had a wonderful time bringing life to the club with song.

Members were very appreciative of the great performaces

Audience members joined in on the choruses of many tunes.

One attendee wrote:

“This was a terrific evening at our club. The Shantie theme and entertainers, put us in a toe tapping mood. Everyone was smiling! The young woman who wrapped up the night will probably be on the Voice or one of those competitive shows, everyone concurred. If members stayed home to choose between reruns of Doc Martin and Sports Central they don’t know what they missed. Tonight was fun and thanks to those that made it possible!” Ellie Vick

Thanks to Zibby Jarzabek, Darek Olszewski and everyone else who helped to plan and execute this wonderful event. We hope to have many more in the future.

The Last Race, Race drew over 20 boats to participate in our last port-to-port race for 2018. Boats sailed down from Kenosha that morning and Waukegan boats came over to dock at the club for our Le Mans start sequence. The sun came out and the wind died as the racers left the harbor and for the first hour the boats floated just past the breakwater by the red lighthouse.

About an hour passed and a line of clouds moved in from the west and brought some light winds that built all morning and into the afternoon. Most boats arrived in Kenosha before 3pm. Leading the way was Madcap Express which took the trophy but everyone had a great time for the last major race of the season.

The wind clocked around to the east overnight and built to 15 knots or higher. Four foot waves were pushed in from the east and provided a bumpy ride for the boats that stayed at the Kenosha Yacht Club that night. In the morning, the race back was canceled due to weather, but the concern over high winds and choppy waters was misplaced. The wind and waves fell off all morning until by 1pm the lake was nearly calm and the winds dropped to 5 knots or less.

The Waukegan | Joseph Conrad Yacht Club is racing / cruising to Winthrop Harbor Saturday, Sept 22 & Sunday, Sept 23. This event is open to all Waukegan members and guests.

Racing to Winthrop Harbor

The race will start at noon (1200) for all sections. First warning will be at 1155. The starting line extends 090 degrees from Green Buoy #3 (1 mile east of the entrance to Waukegan Harbor). Leave the buoy to port and do not cross the line before 1200.

The finish line extends 100 yards 090 degrees from the Winthrop Harbor entrance. Boaters will mark their own finish time and report that time to Jim Hellquist.

Three Waukegan boats took part in this year’s race to Mackinac Island and finished safely. All three of our boats won top honors in their sections. Everyone should congratulate the following boats, their skippers and crew:

Boat

Skipper(s)

Finish Time

Husaria

Kris Kaminski

1d 21h 28m 29s

Sirocco 3

Robert Klairmont

2d 3h 52m 18s

Spitfire

Jonathan Burba, Mike Cunningham and Jim Hellquist

2d 11h 29m 22s

Husaria win 1st Place in Section 2

Congratulations to Kris and his crew for pulling in a 1st Place finish in their section.

Kris Kaminski and his crew accept the flag for 1st Place in Second 2

Sirocco wins 2nd Place in Section 3

Congratulations to Sirocco who won 2nd place in Section 3.

Sirocco crew accepts 2nd Place trophy

Spitfire wins 3rd place in Section 6

Congratulations to Spitfire who won 3rd place in Section 6.

Spitfire wins 3rd place in their division of the Mac Race.

We wish all the racers safe travels as they bring their boats home. This year the race was marred by bad weather and the loss of one crewman from the boat Imedi. We pray for his family and friends.

On June 16th the Waukegan | Joseph Conrad Yacht Club hosted the 87th annual Chicago-Waukegan sailboat race. Nearly 130 boats registered for the race and over 100 took part in the race.

Chicago-Waukegan race start off Montrose Harbor

This year the weather was unpredictable as usual. The wind started briskly coming from the south from 5-7 knots. Most boats immediately launched their spinnakers and the various sections started to battle it out for the lead.

Chicago-Waukegan race start off Montrose Harbor

A little over an hour after the last boat crossed the starting line the wind abruptly swung around to the northeast at over 10 knots. The shift caught many boats unprepared as their crews jumped into action to dose their chutes.

Now the race had shifted to a close hauled beat to windward. But, as they say, “if you don’t like the weather in Chicago, wait five minutes.” Less than another hour passed and the wind began to shift around to the east and not long afterward back to the south once more.

Chutes came out again and this to stay. At first, the wind was steady and strong, but ebbed over the next few hours. Fortunately, for most of the fleet they were able to stand to Waukegan and the finish line. By 2:00pm, the majority of racers had crossed the line and retired to the north harbor where they rafted off the club dock, or to berths they had rented in the south harbor. Waukegan racers simply went off to their own berths.

Boats finishing the 87th Chicago-Waukegan race

The weather in Waukegan was sunny and warm and perfect for a cookout. Grills were fired up and many racers grabbed a burger, brat or hot dog and a cold brew or rum and coke. The club and dockside was alive with members, racers and guests.

The dock was filled with members, racers and guests

Dinner was an Italian buffet and was served starting at 5:30pm. Food went fast and actually ran out by 8:00pm. Live music started by 7:30pm and rocked the club for a few hours before the awards were made. The party continued well into the night.

All parts of the club were humming with conversations, laughter and sea stories.

Sunday morning came early and many sailors and guests took advantage of Bo Harper’s Bloody Mary bar! Many took advantage of the hot breakfast provided by the club. By 8:00am, the Committee boat cast off to set up the starting line. The first section started at 9:05 and each following section went off in 5 minute increments. In less than an hour all 9 sections were gone.

In a blink of the eye the racers were gone, headed back to Chicago

The Board of Directors would like to thank the following volunteers who made this event a major success:

The Waukegan | Joseph Conrad Yacht Club provides a full-service yacht club to boaters and watercraft enthusiasts on the north shore. During the sailing season we have weekly club races and a special schedule of fall races. When the harbor is open the club offers dinner service for members and guests on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Off-season the club is also open and available for special events and parties. Members can access the clubhouse 24/7 to use the showers and bathrooms and for safe harbor.

Have a cocktail at the bar or order a tasty treat from the kitchen.

Not interested in racing? We boat along one of the best cruising grounds in North America. Whether you want to go for a weekend or for a month, there are places to go. Cruising with a group gives you the added camaraderie of boating with friends and the added security of numbers. Power boaters will get there faster and sailors will get there cheaper but, on the dock, the drinks and food and love of our lake are the same.

The club has an active power squadron

Cruising with the Waukegan | Joseph Conrad Yacht Club is a no–host event. We try, when possible, to have slips close together. On the day of the cruise, we meet for a brief “captains’ meeting” to work out final details. First boat to the destination helps the later arrivals. Generally, we have a get-together on the dock where each boat brings an hors d’oeuvres and their favorite beverage. There is then the opportunity to go out for dinner as a group or eat aboard. On the return departure, guess who helps with the dock lines!

Another beautiful day in Waukegan Harbor

Don’t own a boat? No problem, the club owns an impressive fleet of dinghies and small sail craft that are free to use by all members. In 2017, the club received the donation of a 27-foot sloop. In 2018, this boat will be available to members for both racing, cruising or just daysailing.

Sailing on the lake is a fun group activity.

Don’t know how to sail? The Waukegan | Joseph Conrad Yacht Club offers and hosts classes for adults, youth and children in sailing, crewing, basic seamanship, sailboat racing and even navigation. Classes are free or discounted for members.

The club’s fleet of sailing dinghies and small sail craft are all available to members

You can see that there are many reasons to join the Waukegan | Joseph Conrad Yacht Club. So, what are you waiting for?